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12 Common Scams Seniors Can Avoid
Fraudsters and identity thieves know no bounds. They’ll target anyone they think has a sizeable savings account and is unfamiliar with technology, which is most often senior citizens. They conduct scams through any means they can, which is often over the telephone, online, or even in person. Here are some of the common scams that are committed against seniors and ways they can avoid being easy targets. mation such as their date of them from untrustworthy scammers who are out to birth, bank account, or social security number online swindle them of their life’s savings. If the senior in or over the phone to any questionable, unknown, or your life requires attentive unverified sources. Banks, care that you are unable to credit card companies, and provide, then consider the assisted living community other official lenders and 7. Charity Scams: In charat Encore at Avalon Park. government entities will ity schemes, a thief pretends to be a representative never contact a customExperience a Safe Environer, either through email Common Scams Targeting for a charity organization ment at Encore at Avalon or phone call, to confirm and calls people to ask for Seniors their personal information. Park credit card or bank inforSeniors should also know mation to make a “dona1. Identity Theft: Identity At Encore at Avalon Park, not to answer calls from tion.” theft is a common type of we value our seniors’ unknown numbers and to fraud where a scammer safety and provide them be wary of text or emails 8. Investment Schemes: will steal someone’s perwith excellent care, safe claiming that they won a Investment schemes are sonal information and surroundings, friendly illegally use their identity. extremely common and in- contest that they don’t reneighbors and staff, and volve a criminal asking for member entering. This is usually done over comfortable accommodaan investment in a compathe phone or on the intertions that help them feel ny or cause that will yield a It’s important to stay vignet. at home. Come see why big return. The adage “If it ilant and conceal your we’re ranked as one of the sounds too good to be true, senior loved one’s private 2. Medicare Scams: While best assisted living comscams are always a shame- it probably is” applies here. information to protect munities in Central Florithem from scammers and ful act for anyone to com9. Overdue Utilities: Scam- thieves. However, most se- da. Schedule a virtual tour mit, Medicare scams are a niors are trusting of others today by calling us at 407mers will act as utility new low. Thieves pose as 270-7500. and need help and conworkers and contact you Medicare representatives stant monitoring to protect and try to trick elderly peo- about paying fake bills. ple into revealing personal They often lie and threaten to shut off your utilities if information. you don’t make an immediate payment. 3. Fake Viruses: Fake viruses are extremely com10. The Pigeon Drop: This mon for anyone that uses classic scam involves a the internet. Your comcon artist pretending that puter may open a pop-up they have a sum of money window that claims you have a virus on your com- they’re willing to share, as long as you’re able to puter and to download a first give them a little bit of virus scanner to get rid of money as a deposit. it. However, this “virus scanner” does the opposite and, if downloaded, allows 11. The Family Member in Need: In another new criminals access to your low for scammers, a crimiprivate information. nal pretends to be a family member in need of emer4. Tax Fraud: Scammers gency money, most often can claim tax returns if Walking access to restaurants, shops & community festivals due to an injury or accithey get access to others’ Wellness center with geriatrician on site dent. social security numbers Memory Care programming and IDs. This is typically 12. The Grandparent done on the internet or Oversight of physical well-being by Florida Hospital physician team Scam: In a similar form of over the phone. All neighborhood design the family member in need Social, educational & cultural activities in our community 5. Telemarketing Schemes: scam, a thief pretends to be Outreach room the grandchild of the perCriminals can pose as any son they’re contacting and identity they can think of asks for tuition money, car whenever they perform a funds, or money for other telemarketing scheme to get your personal informa- various reasons. tion, credit card numbers, or whatever they are seek- How Seniors Can Avoid Common Scams ing. passed can be targeted into paying a “debt” that the deceased has left behind; a debt that isn’t real and has been made up by a scammer.
We believe that companionship within a community is an essential ingredient for successful aging.
The best way for seniors to 6. Funeral Scams: In this avoid being scammed is to cruel scam, the surviving family of someone who has not reveal personal infor-
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